Perry Hall Councilman: 'Slow Development' Pending New Elementary School

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Construction in eastern Honeygo may go on hiatus until a new elementary school is in the works.

Baltimore County Councilman David Marks introduced a bill tying building permits to progress on new schools for northeastern Perry Hall.

“My goal with this legislation is to slow development until we can get a new elementary school built and Cross Road improved,” Marks said.

• Marks Says Reducing Perry Hall School Overcrowding Is Among Top Priorities
• Superintendent Promises Review of Overcrowding in Northeast
• Overcrowding, Safety Top Perry Hall’s List of School Concerns

The proposed bill says that the county’s zoning regulations for the Honeygo area are outdated—they were adopted in 1994—and since infrastructure has not kept pace with ”desired growth,” there should be “limitations on growth tied to infrastructure improvements.”

The bill, submitted in early March, states that no new building permit authorizations could be issued until an elementary school was built in northeastern Perry Hall to alleviate Chapel Hill Elementary overcrowding. In addition, sites must be identified for a new middle and high school for northeastern Perry Hall.

Previously approved developments would be exempt from the new requirements.

The County Council will discuss the legislation at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31. The council will vote on the bill at its session at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 6, at Council Chambers in Towson.

Councilman David Marks explained the proposal as follows:

• • In Western Honeygo—from Cross Road to Belair Road—no additional building permits shall be issued until construction has commenced on the expansion of Cross Road and Angel Park is finished.
  • In Eastern Honeygo—from Cross Road to Philadelphia Road—no additional building permits shall be issued until a new northeastern elementary school has opened that relieves overcrowding at Chapel Hill Elementary School.
  • The legislation also sets forth guidelines for improving Gerst Avenue in the event there is development west of this corridor, and it requires the county to acquire land for a middle and a high school.